~June~
11) Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington
12) That Time I Joined the Circus by J.J. Howard
13) Insomnia by J.R. Johansson
14) Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey
15) A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee
16) The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
17) The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
18) Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton
19) The Boy on the Bridge by Natalie Standiford

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Synopsis via GoodreadsBethany and Xavier are even closer since battling Jake Thorn and his evil influence (in Halo) and Beth and her angel siblings must still protect Venus Cove from the Dark Forces.

When a party game – a séance – inadvertently releases Jake from the Underworld, he disguises himself and tricks Beth into taking a ride on his motorcycle. When the highway opens up and swallows them, Beth learns too late that she’s now a prisoner in hell. What happens to angels there? As her archangel brother, Gabriel, her sister Ivy, Xavier, and her best friend, Molly search for her, Beth must weigh Jake’s bargaining for her freedom: one night with him, and she will be released back to Earth.

Can Jake be trusted in this wager? And is he also using Beth to engineer the fall of the archangel Gabriel? Xavier has already lost one love – when Jake tricks him into thinking that Bethany is dead, his grief and anger result in a betrayal that will leave Bethany – and readers – wondering if he is so good after all.

It will be up to Beth to use everything she’s learned about her powers as an angel – and about love – to free herself and those she loves from the clutches of Hades.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Contest DetailsThanks to Zeitghost Media, one lucky person will win a finished copy of Hades by Alexandra Adornetto.

Rules:~Comments are appreciated but you must fill out the form for entry.
~Must be 13 or older.
~Open to US and Canada
~Contest will end at 11:59PM EST on September 10th.
~Winner will be notified shortly after

Extra Entries:~You can earn +2 by tweeting this giveaway. Please include @thebookpixie

So I got some great books for in my mailbox. Feels good to get another post up even if it is just an IMM. I'll be doing a post sooner or later about Paradise Lost Books, Rome's indie book store. So be on the look out for that. Hope you all got some awesomeness too! :D

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Okay so I'm going to keep this post short because I still have a ton to get done today. I realize that posts have been really slow the past week and that I didn't even do a Money Savin' Mondays post yesterday. Some of you already know this but for those who don't, I wanted to let y'all know officially, I will be moving into my dorm room at Berry College tomorrow! This is my last full day at home for what is gonna be quite a while. I'm really excited but, obviously, this is something that is going to affect my blog. I'm not sure why, but my laptop does not want to make it easy for me to do blog posts. It won't let me highlight all the text in compose mode so that I can adjust font and the likes. I have to try and copy and paste bits of html in the edit mode. And then, no matter how many times I click to publish the post, it won't. Which means saving my posts as a draft and publishing them from another computer. This means it will take me more time to do my posts which means being able to actually have that much time. I'm going to do my absolute best to keep this blog up and running and updated while I'm away so please don't give up on me. I've got three books to get reviews written for and I'll try to get those done and maybe even up this week. I'm also bringin all my review boks with me, plus some others. I love you guys so much. For the past couple of years, blogging has been my one constant companion and comfort and I have no intention of giving this, you, up. I'll be around on twitter so be sure to follow me @thebookpixe & @pixiebookdeals. *hugs* <3

So I got some great books this week. Even if all but one are for my kindle. Especially looking forward to reading the Netgalley books. Also, this is the last picture I'll take for IMM, and it's crappy, I know. I'm moving to college on Wednesday so In My Mailboxes from here out will have just book covers from online since I won't be at home when my books get here. Anyhow, hope you all got some great books this week. :D

Saturday, August 13, 2011

The Survivors by Amanda Havard
Publisher: Chafie Press
Pub. Date: March 29th, 2011
Pages: 283
Series: The Survivors, #1
Age Level: 14+
Source: For review from author.Synopsis via GoodreadsIn 1692, when witch trials gripped the community of Salem, Massachusetts, twenty-six children were accused as witches, exiled, and left for dead. Fourteen of them survived.
The Survivors is the first installment of the tantalizing tales of the fourteen ill-fated Survivors and their descendants, who have been content in hiding for over three centuries. Isolated on a Montana mountainside, only Sadie, the rogue daughter, dares to abandon the family's sacred hiding place. But no matter how far Sadie runs, something always pulls her back.

On a muggy summer night in Tennessee, she witnesses a shocking scene that will change her life forever. It is the first in a sequence of events that will drag her from the human world she's sought to belong to for over a century and send her back to her Puritanical family and into an uncertain future filled with cunning witches, mysterious nosferatu shape-shifters, dangerous eretica and vieczy vampires, millennia-old mythology, and the search for her own mortality. After all...

HOW DO YOU KILL A SURVIVOR?

The Survivors will steal your heart and invade your mind. Fall into the pages of Sadie's life, a world so frighteningly similar to your own, you'll find yourself wanting to go to the Montana mountains to find the Survivors for yourself.

And it is only the beginning.

Noteworthy Passages

Sadie; pg. 73I remember being worried the first time I had realized that even very young humans used the Internet. I thought of all the horrific things I had seen inadvertently, and I wondered if children had seen the same things by accident. It rubbed me the wrong way that a culture would put offensive things out for all to see when they knew innocent eyes might happen upon them. I considered that carelessness, that irreverence for innocence, a telling characteristic about humans.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

We all know it is impossible to shelter children. We also know that sheltering children from all the bad stuff out there isn't necessarily always the best thing to do. However, this passage really makes you think and provides a good point. Especially when you think about how dirty images and porn pretty much just pop up anywhere, even if you aren't looking for it. That's stuff I don't even wanna see, much less would I want my niece or nephew happening across it. Sure there is parental control but even that doesn't always guarantee things. So here's a question for you all, just cause I'm curious. Is there anything that you just absolutely feel should not be allowed onto the Internet?

PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Synopsis via GoodreadsIn 1692, when witch trials gripped the community of Salem, Massachusetts, twenty-six children were accused as witches, exiled, and left for dead. Fourteen of them survived.
The Survivors is the first installment of the tantalizing tales of the fourteen ill-fated Survivors and their descendants, who have been content in hiding for over three centuries. Isolated on a Montana mountainside, only Sadie, the rogue daughter, dares to abandon the family's sacred hiding place. But no matter how far Sadie runs, something always pulls her back.

On a muggy summer night in Tennessee, she witnesses a shocking scene that will change her life forever. It is the first in a sequence of events that will drag her from the human world she's sought to belong to for over a century and send her back to her Puritanical family and into an uncertain future filled with cunning witches, mysterious nosferatu shape-shifters, dangerous eretica and vieczy vampires, millennia-old mythology, and the search for her own mortality. After all...

HOW DO YOU KILL A SURVIVOR?

The Survivors will steal your heart and invade your mind. Fall into the pages of Sadie's life, a world so frighteningly similar to your own, you'll find yourself wanting to go to the Montana mountains to find the Survivors for yourself.

And it is only the beginning.

ReviewWith her debut YA novel, The Survivors, Amanda Havard has painted a whole new perspective on the typical paranormal beings we've all come to know.

Sadie was a very different kind of heroine for me. For starters, she's older than what I typically come across when reading YA, but this is a good thing, in my opinion. The YA division really does need more protagonists that are actual young adults, like in their early twenties, rather than just teenagers. Next is her refreshing perspective of the human world, one of both confusion and fascination, which stems from living her whole life in almost total seclusion from anyone not of her kind. There was something intriguing about reading from Sadie's point of view and while I never fully connected with her, I still liked her and look forward to watching her continue to grow throughout her journey. There was a decent quantity of supporting characters but I felt that I never really got to see enough attention focused on them. For example, I could tell Corrina and Cole were characters I could have really loved but their presence in the book was minimal and I really wanted to see more of them. I did get a little more of Sadie's family as well as the Winter's family. Both of these groups were shrouded in mystery and had me wanting to know more and more about them. Ginny was probably my favorite of the Winter's family, followed by Mark, and then the love interest, Everett. The family dynamics and their situation reminded me a lot of a certain other family in a certain other book that shall not be named. When I found out their secret, the similarities seemed even more so and part of me was a bit disappointed as I watched my affection for them die just a wee bit.

The Survivors gets off to a slow start but, after a while, the pace picked up. I was constantly wondering about the truth behind the Survivors and the Winters family. There was a variety of twists and turns all throughout but while I liked most these surprises, there were some that I had been hoping would work out differently. While the overall scenarios in The Survivors were really original, I was expecting a little more unique-ness when it came to what everyone really was. I guess I was looking for something I'd never encountered before, but even so, things worked themselves out pretty well and the incorporation of different myths and legends was well done. The story was never what I'd call predictable and I enjoyed being kept guessing. One thing I really liked was when Sadie went to Russia and I'd like to see her travel more in the future. The romance aspect was lackluster as far as I'm concerned but with any luck there will be some improvement with that in the next book.

While not bad, the writing was easily my least favorite aspect of The Survivors. Don't get me wrong, I liked it well enough and it drew me in like it should. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with it aside from some typos and a few slow spots. It's just that nothing really stood out as being great either.

The ending may have been one of the best parts. More plot twists were revealed and I was left looking forward to reading the next book while allowing the first book to be wrapped up in a satisfying manner.

All in all, I had a couple of issues with The Survivors but it was still a great story that provided me with a paranormal read that stands out from others in its genre. I'm anxious to see where things head in the second book and I would recommend giving this one a shot.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Y'all ready for some MG & YA book bargain awesomeness?! It's time for the sixteenth edition of Money Savin' Mondays. To find out more on why I started this you can read the first post. If you decide to use the Money Savin' Mondays title, I'd appreciate a small mention for coming up with the name. Also, you can stay up to date on the latest bargains through out the whole week by following my twitter @PixieBookDeals. Other bargains can also be found in sidebar. Now, onto the deals.

Disclaimer: Please note that this is an ARC and passages and quotes below are subject to change in the final copy.

Synopsis via GoodreadsOona Crate was born to be the Wizard's apprentice, but she has another destiny in mind.

Despite possessing the rare gift of Natural Magic, Oona wants to be a detective. Eager for a case, she is determined to prove that logic can be just as powerful as wizardry. But when someone attacks her uncle--the Wizard of Dark Street--Oona is forced to delve even deeper into the world of magic.

Full of odd characters, evil henchmen, and a street where nothing is normal, The Wizard of Dark Street will have you guessing until the very end

Noteworthy Passages

Oona & Dark Street Clock; pg. 47Satisfied, Oona turned to go, but just then, two metallic-sounding voices emanated from deep inside the iron clockwork, half startling her."Knock, knock," said the first voice."Who's there?" asked the second."Kent.""Kent who?""Kent remember my name, I'm so bloody drunk. Now open up!"Oona rolled her eyes. Nowhere else but on Dark Street did the street clocks tell not only time but jokes as well...and quite bad ones at that.

Oona; pg. 192Oona felt a kind of buzzing in her head, though it was not the same sort of buzzy feeling she got whenever she performed magic. No, this was quite different. It was the buzz of her thoughts slowing down, of turning a puzzle around in her mind, looking at it from different angles, poking at it with an imaginary finger, feeling its texture, pulling it apart and clicking it back together in new and different ways. To Oona, this was the best feeling in all the world, and yet the feeling did not get in the way of the process. It simply buzzed in the background, a growing energy, urging her forward, assuring her that the answer was there. Inside.

Oona; pg. 296But it was not steel that cut at her, nor any enchantment. This was cold, undeniable remorse. It was guilt and loss all tangled together in barbed wire. It was the drowned song of heartache.

~~~~~~~~~~

I loved all three of these passages, the second being my favorite. These show both the humor as well as the surprisingly exceptional quality of Odyssey's writing. I like that he doesn't patronize his targeted audience by dumbing down his writing for them. Instead, it is both intellectually and imaginatively stimulating without going over the top. To find out more on why I think The Wizard of Dark Street is a must read, check out my review.

As always, thanks for stopping by and I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Synopsis via GoodreadsAbarat: Absolute Midnight continues the thrilling adventures of Candy Quackenbush in the Abarat, a vast archipelago where every island is a different hour of the day—from The Great Head that sits in the mysterious twilight waters of Eight in the Evening to the sunlit wonders of Three in the Afternoon, where dragons roam, to the dark terrors of Gorgossium, the island of Midnight, ruled over by the evil Mater Motley. With villains resurrected and morphed and the Old Mother of darkness herself, Mater Motley, at the heart of a ruthless scheme, Abarat is in danger of being destroyed forever.

Mater Motley plans to create a darkness so complete that it blots out every glimpse of the light and vanquishes the sun, moon, and stars from the Abarat, ending all hope and happiness. Her hour has come—she is prepared to unleash the end of the world. When evil begins rising from the sea, tumbles The Great Head, and sets islands aflame, the Abarat is filled with fear.

Only one person can stop her—Candy Quackenbush from Chickentown, U.S.A., a heroine who has traveled between the Hereafter and the Abarat. She valiantly fights for the sake of her friends and her mother and to speak and act for those who have no voice. Candy and her crew battle on to ultimately defuse Mater Motley and rescue the 7,000 who have survived, with the message that even in the face of this terror and loss, they may find hope. An enthralling ride, with nonstop action, adventure, and suspense, Barker has delivered an epic dystopian battle.

Synopsis via GoodreadsHilari Bell’s thrilling finale to the Goblin trilogy! Alliances are once again tested, and the fate of the entire kingdom rests in the hands of some unexpected heroes.

A multitude of vicious barbarians is out to take over the Realm. The only ones who know what it will take to stop them are teenage hedgewitch Makenna, former knight Tobin, his well-meaning but often naïve younger brother, Jeriah—and a whole lot of goblins. They’ll need to work together to formulate a plan. The answer lies with the Otherworld Spirits and also with the blood amulets that give infinite power to the barbarians. The question is: Can they band together and save the Realm in time?

Readers will relish the intricate politics, high adventure, and intensely satisfying conclusion to this epic trilogy. Master storyteller Hilari Bell’s world-building fantasy-adventure has just the right combination of complexity and accessibility and will appeal to fans of Kristin Cashore’s Graceling.

~~~~~~~~~~

Contest DetailsSo, these are two books I received unsolicted for review from HarperTeen. I haven't read the previous two books in either of these trilogies and wanted to give those who have the opportunity to win these ARCs before they release. There will be a winner for each ARC, one person will get Absolute Midnight, the other will get The Goblin War. You can select which you'd like to be entered for on the form.

Rules:~Comments are appreciated but you must fill out the form for entry.~Must be 13 or older to enter.~Open to US only unless willing to pay for shipping.~Contest will close at 11:59PM EST on August 15th.~Winners may or may not be announced since I'm moving to college on the 17th but they will be contacted.

Extra Entries:You can earn +2 by tweeting this giveaway! Please include @thebookpixie

Synopsis via GoodreadsOona Crate was born to be the Wizard's apprentice, but she has another destiny in mind.

Despite possessing the rare gift of Natural Magic, Oona wants to be a detective. Eager for a case, she is determined to prove that logic can be just as powerful as wizardry. But when someone attacks her uncle--the Wizard of Dark Street--Oona is forced to delve even deeper into the world of magic.

Full of odd characters, evil henchmen, and a street where nothing is normal, The Wizard of Dark Street will have you guessing until the very end

ReviewWith the primary focus of my blog being YA, I sometimes forget just how much I enjoy reading MG. Sure I've read a few this year, and they were almost all good, but this, this my friends is one of those books that truly reminds me how terrific the MG genre can be when properly executed. Shawn Thomas Odyssey has rekindled my love of this reading division with his enchanting, delightful middle grade debut, The Wizard of Dark Street. Admit it folks, just the name alone makes you wanna read this one.

Odyssey has supplied this novel with an eclectic, quirky array of both main and supporting characters that were all at once captivating and distinct. First and foremost, I was introduced to Oona Crane, a willful and independent young lady with more interest in the logistical knowledge of the world than in her wizardry abilities. Her sense of humor was immediately appealing and I could feel her pain when I learned why she refused to practice her magic. Her curiosity and desire to show Dark Street a thing or two about how a real detective works embellished further on her already endearing personality. Oona was a heroine I connected with right from the start and I thought she was a remarkable protagonist that grew in wisdom and developed throughout the plot. Then we have Deacon, Oona's tried and true wizard's companion, as well as her rival for my favorite character. Did I mention he's a talking raven? Yep, that's him on her shoulder in the cover. Deacon is a little know-it-all; I say this in the most adoring way possible since he really does know it all, thanks to a little magic. He also has this dry, matter-of-fact style of humor that I absolutely loved, rounding him off as a most memorable and unique character. Samuligan is the intimidating, cowboy-hat-wearing, faerie servant of Pendulum House who's lack of resentment over his past surprised me but made me respect him even more for his loyalty. There is Isadora Iree, a snooty brat that, while I didn't particularly care for her, contributed to the plot, as did her more mature twin brother, the dashing Adler Iree, whom isn't the least bit amused by his sister's antics. Inspector White is the ridiculous head of police that I couldn't help but love to hate and was just as greatly annoyed by him as Oona. Also landing amongst the list of noteworthy supporting characters are: Oona's uncle, the Wizard of Dark Street; Mr. Ravensmith, the lawyer; Hector Grimmsbee, weird former actor and seemingly all-seeing blind man with impeccable sense of smell; Sanora Crone, wizard apprentice hopeful and young witch.

The Wizard of Dark Street is set during the late 19th century in a magical little world gated between New York City and the Faerie Realm. The name, in case you haven't guessed, is Dark Street and it is filled with it's own variety of eccentricities and quirks, from a tower manned by Goblins, to a clock that not only tells time but corny jokes as well. Throw in an intriguing murder/kidnapping mystery--you'll have to read it to see which it is-- and you've got an ageless, timeless tale that kids, and us older folks, can enjoy, not just now, but years and years to come as relevance is not applicable to this book. That is one of the things I loved about it most. Sure, the plot is original, fun, compelling, and in possession of an engaging mystery. But what really stuck out to me was how this seemed like a book I would have read when I was nine or ten-years-old, and a book that I could easily see my niece, maybe even nephew, reading when they reach this age range. I think the only issue, which isn't really an issue for me, particularly, would be that at the beginning, there is a decent bit of world and back story building. Personally, I thought it was beautifully crafted but I can see where maybe some middle graders wouldn't appreciate it quite as much and would be more anxious to delve directly into the mystery and intrigue. (Patience, grasshopper.)

Odyssey has a keen writing style that easily drew me in with it's richly atmospheric and imaginative prose. He didn't rely heavily on constant character interaction and frequent dialogue to power his story forward, though these aspects were just as skillfully done. Even when I was simply reading paragraphs of context, I could feel the magic of this world he created pulsing with a heartbeat all it's own. Not to mention his writing flowed smoothly and consistently all through out, never changing tempo too suddenly or as to make the pace become uneven.

The Wizard of Dark Street was pulled to a close in a way that tied up the loose ends perfectly and left me satisfied. Well, almost satisfied because I would like nothing more than to read about Oona, Deacon and the other characters in a second book. I can't refrain from wanting more of Dark Street and its mystical oddities but if there are plans for a sequel, then that is knowledge I have not yet obtained.

The Wizard of Dark Street is an absolute must read for any fan of middle grade literature. Odyssey has woven such a charismatic story, adorned with lovable, peculiar characters, that I'm already craving to begin reading all over again. I sincerely hope this highly talented author has another book in the works, because I have definitely been left wanting more.

Okay so yeah, the picture is a bit misleading when it comes to just how much I got this week book wise. For months, I'd been saving up Amazon GCs from swagbucks, epoll, and Amazon Associates and at the end of July I had enough to buy: Kindle Wi-Fi with Special Offers; Extended Warranty; Laptop case/bag; Laptop mouse; and all the kindle books listed above, under bought. I know some people say the $25 saved isn't worth the whole annoying offers and stuff but honestly, the offers and screensavers don't bother me at all. Plus, that $25 saved can buy me as many as 25 books and I'm pretty sure I'll come across an offer sooner or later that'll save me even more money. But anyway, totally in love with my kindle and especially the fact that I can use Netgalley now, since reading on the computer for too long bothers my head and eyes. Also a big thanks to Emily, Michelle, Steph, and Cidney for the books! That copy of The Near Witch, yeah, won a pre-order of that sucker back in November! That isn't all I got this week, though. I also got some stuff that I ordered for college. Here's a peek, in case you're curious:

And now you are all aware of my black and white fetish. But no worries, I've got some cute purple and green stuff I'll be getting for accent color. :P In the photo you can see the laptop bag and mouse I got from Amazon. Also some really trendy storage boxes, from Walmart, which I've already started loading with books I'm going to take. Yep, that's right, my books are going to college with me in style!

But enough of all that, hope you are all having a great weekend and got some really awesome stuff in your mailboxes this week!

Friday, August 5, 2011

Synopsis via GoodreadsAvi Greenbaum is Jewish and lives in West Jerusalem. Moussa Shakir is Palestinian and lives in East Jerusalem. Both are 15 years old, live without their fathers, adore their older brothers, and belong to the same soccer club. Avi commemorates the Holocaust and celebrates Israeli independence, while Moussa mourns on Nakba Day, marking the expulsion of Palestinians from their homes and land in 1948. Their lives are parallel lines: they have everything in common and nothing at all. Each is oblivious to the other's existence.

As Avi and Moussa go about their daily routines in the spring of 2006, they face reminders of the conflict that has dogged the region for the past three generations; the security wall, suicide bombings, police operations, and the looming shadow of war. While navigating this legacy of suspicion and violence, they must decide what their own roles in the stalemate will be.

Noteworthy Passages

Moussa's Grandma; pg. 111She watched her oldest sister fall. When recounting the tale, she would pause at this point and ask her audience the very same question: if it takes so long to fashion a human, how can everything so terribly precious, all the love and dedication invested, vanish in less time it takes a child to swallow.

Moussa's brother, Douad; pg. 165"This city, this whole area which seems so peaceful in the moonlight, is plagued with insanity and I will not come back. I will not raise my children here. The soil isn't good enough. Once it was blessed but now it is cursed. I won't come home. I will die elsewhere."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I thought both of these passages were very profound and probably the best parts of the book. For more on my thoughts, you can check out my Review.

As always, thanks for stopping by.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Synopsis via GoodreadsAvi Greenbaum is Jewish and lives in West Jerusalem. Moussa Shakir is Palestinian and lives in East Jerusalem. Both are 15 years old, live without their fathers, adore their older brothers, and belong to the same soccer club. Avi commemorates the Holocaust and celebrates Israeli independence, while Moussa mourns on Nakba Day, marking the expulsion of Palestinians from their homes and land in 1948. Their lives are parallel lines: they have everything in common and nothing at all. Each is oblivious to the other's existence.

As Avi and Moussa go about their daily routines in the spring of 2006, they face reminders of the conflict that has dogged the region for the past three generations; the security wall, suicide bombings, police operations, and the looming shadow of war. While navigating this legacy of suspicion and violence, they must decide what their own roles in the stalemate will be.

ReviewI'm one of those people who's always been drawn to books involving a war setting, whether there is active engagement in said war or not. For some reason, even when I was younger, I've always liked reading about war, watching movies and shows about war, etc. So, when I was presented with the chance to read a YA book set in Jerusalem, involving the Arab-Israeli conflict, I jumped at the chance. Sadly, it would appear I jumped too soon...

Avi and Moussa were characters that I had very little connection with. No, this has nothing to do with their race/culture/heritage. My problem was that both characters felt two-dimensional and were lacking in both personality and substance. All I really got was fear from Avi and indifference/lack of expected anger from Moussa. To me, the author was so wrapped up and focused on drawing parallels between the lives of the two boys that he didn't take enough time to work on, and develop, the characters individually. There was also what seemed to be some contradiction. During Avi and Moussa's separate interviews with a reporter, I could see where the author was trying to portray them as being regular teen boys, especially when it came to interests. However, both boys also mentioned how they felt everything in their life revolved around politics. Never did either boy feel real or like a typical teenager who just happens to live in an area of conflict. The politics of it all was brought into light more but I would have liked to have seen each boy doing more normal things: hanging out with friends, struggling with a problem unrelated to the war, etc. Also, I didn't find one single thoroughly fleshed out relationship between either of the protagonists and a family member, friend, teacher or even potential girlfriend; I only got mere glimpses of these. If there was going to be so minor a focus on such aspects then I would have preferred to read about characters actually participating in the war. Instead, I got this really awkward, insubstantial between. All of that said, the characters weren't necessarily unlikable and I did like getting to see both of their perspectives on their own, and the other's, situation. What little personality I got from each of them did feel real and both Avi's feelings of fear, and Moussa's worry he's not angry enough, were tangible and believable. But that was about it.

My issues with the plot are essentially the same issues I had with the characters. Once again, more attention was dedicated to showing how parallel two boys' lives could be on different sides of the same war. Crescent Star had so much potential and there were times when I would come across a part of the book that could have fulfilled that potential but didn't. My prime example: When Avi and his band went to England for a competition. This event took up so few pages of the book and went by so quickly, with little more than some nasty, uncalled for remarks from some outspoken, overly opinionated Brits and other national competitors. Avi went to so many places in England and I barely got to read about any of his experiences there. It wasn't all bad though. Maes provided me with a clear, unblemished window that I could peer into from either side. A window that, through two opposing, biased perspectives, allowed me to receive an unbiased view into the Arab-Israeli conflict. Maes never made me feel like I should choose one side over the other, and I believe he did both sides justice. Crescent Star also proved to be very thought-provoking as well by incorporating the occasional outsider's opinion. It made me think: Are the Arabs and Israeli's unable to see what is an obvious solution because they are too involved and muddled up in it themselves to see clearly? Or do we only think that there is an easy answer, or many, because we are so wholly removed from the conflict, and thus possess a cloudy view as to the complexities of the problem and the possible repercussions of said 'solutions'?

Keeping in pattern, the writing was also something I had mixed feelings about. As a whole, it was far from bad but not what I'd call great. The pacing was consistent and even and I felt pulled in by the writing shortly after starting Crescent Star. Maes also seamlessly incorporated in a plethora of Hebrew and Arabic terms. While I did have to visit the Glossary for some of these, the presence of the words themselves never felt forced. My problems with it? First of all, when I read a book set in an unfamiliar location, I want the descriptions to be so vivid and expertly depicted that, when I've turned the last page and set the book aside, I feel like I can still see the setting painted before me in my mind, almost as though I'd been there myself. I didn't get this. Another thing, and this is getting back to the parallels, I wasn't long into the book when I noticed that I would find two passages almost identical with the only differences being a few minor alterations and presentation from a different point of view. At first, I thought this was an effective, profound technique that helped to elaborate on how both boys could so closely feel and experience the same things. It could have stayed that way too had it not been implemented so frequently to the point of redundancy, leaving me with a near constant feeling of having read multiple passages twice.

Concerning the ending, I feel this aspect of the book is where I have the least amount to discuss. This is because I still have no idea what I thought of it. I'm finding myself both approving of it and frowning at it for the very same reasons. One thing that did stand out to me as something I liked was the view point from which the very final pages were told, a view point that was not Avi or Moussa's.

All in all, I obviously didn't enjoy Crescent Star nearly as much as I had hoped. Mind you, I don't think this book was a waste of time at all, I even liked it somewhat, and it did hold it's redeeming qualities. As far as the story and overall plot goes, it was underdeveloped and fell short of the potential. While it does have two fifteen-year-old protagonists, I do question the choice to market this book as YA. Personally, I believe this book would fit a little more comfortably in with the adult category due to its more analytical/intellectual nature (and I'm by no means saying YA can't be intellectual) and lack of components I come to expect from YA. I do feel that Crescent Star would be excellent for a Contemporary World Issues class to read and discuss in-depth, as well as other such similar classes, or even a book club. This is definitely a debate-and-talk-about-it book and for such purposes as being able to view the Arab-Israeli conflict from both sides equally, I would recommend this. For anyone looking for a good coming-of-age story to read concerning two teenage boys dealing with living in a disaster torn area, I would not recommend this. This is one of those rare books that I think I would have actually liked more had I read it for the purpose of required reading for a class.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Synopsis via GoodreadsEach night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies.

Noteworthy Passages

London; pg. 30I remember forward.I remember forward and forget backward.My memories, bad, boring, or good, haven't happened yet.So, like it or not--and like it I don't--I will remember standing in fresh-cut grass with the black-clad figures surrounded by stone until I do it for real. I will remember the funeral until it happens--until someone dies.And after that, it will be forgotten.

London & Luke; pg. 198-199"Hmm, just a sec," Luke says, reaching his outside arm toward the nightstand and retrieving my cell phone. He frees his other arm from under me, quickly types a message, and hits send. Immediately my phone buzzes to alert me that I have a new text."What does it say?" I ask after Luke sets the phone next to the bed."The boy in the closet is your boyfriend. He loves you and will tell you all about last night."

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Hope you all enjoyed those two passages. This was a really great read and I thought both these passages would do a good job of getting you wanting to read it if you didn't already. For more on my thoughts you can check out my review.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Good day everybody! Today I have a great guest post for you all from the lovely M. Leighton about Jackson, the male love interest in her newest YA book, Madly & Wolfhardt. You know you're curious. So read on my awesome readers, read on...

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Madly’s Jackson
By: Michelle Leighton

First of all, I’d like to thank Briana for hosting me for this post today. She is more awesome than I can say and I’m very glad that we met.

Now, for those of you who don’t know me, I’m Michelle Leighton. I go by M. Leighton and I’ve authored six books, Madly & Wolfhardt being my latest. What I’ve come to talk to you about today is Jackson. He’s the hero in Madly & Wolfhardt.

*sigh* Jackson. Oh, Jackson! Who doesn’t love a great leading man? I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for one! And Jackson just happens to be one of the best in my opinion. He’s strong and dependable, dedicated and loyal, handsome and bossy. But he’s also got a soft spot, a Madly-shaped soft spot that makes him totally accessible and completely swoon-worthy.

When the first seed of Jackson began to take root in my mind, I knew he’d have to be quite a super guy if he was going to be any kind of a match for Madly. Madly’s willful, impetuous, emotionally driven and a mermaid princess to boot, someone wrong for him in a thousand ways. Only no one has ever felt quite so right.

Despite the fact that theirs is a forbidden love, neither Jackson nor Madly can fight the feelings that only grow stronger with each day they’re together. And who would want them to, right?

As a Sentinel, Jackson has dedicated his young life to the guarding of Mer as well as the inhabitants of a sleepy little town called Slumber, a place where all the descendants of fairy tales live. Jackson has had to fight to get where he is in the Sentinel ranks, but that’s also why he’s at the top. Jackson is the best there is and he takes great pride in that. He’s physically superior, a great strategist, and he always puts the well-being of Mer and the descendants above his own wants and needs. Until it comes to Madly.

Madly is his Achilles heel, even though she doesn’t know it. Her unpredictability drives him mad and her mouthiness makes him crazy, but her heart draws him in, even against his will. He fights it. Oh, how he fights it. But Jackson soon learns that there’s no use fighting love. That’s a fight he can’t win and one that he’s not even sure he wants to.

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And thank you Michelle for the great guest post! What do you all think? Does Jackson sound dreamy to you? If so then keep reading my friends because you are going to have the chance to win Jackson...er...I mean Madly & Wolfhardt. :P But first, take a look at M. Leighton's other books.

Rules:~Comments are very much appreciated but you must fill out the form for entry.
~Open Internationally.
~Must be 13 or older.
~Ends at 11:59PM EST on August 10th.
~Winner will be contacted/announced shortly after.

Extra Entries:You can earn +2 by tweeting this giveaway. Please include @thebookpixie and @mleightonbooks

I know you wanna see my RAK. *waggles eyebrows* Okay so first off, RAK stands forRandom Acts of Kindnessand is hosted by Vanessa and Isalys atBook Soulmates. RAK gives you the chance to randomly do something nice for another book lover, like surprising them with a book, e-book, etc. Plus who knows, someone just might surprise you with something you've been wanting too.

A big thanks to April for the RAK and to Vanessa and Isalys for hosting this awesome event! I'm already signed up for August and look forward to sending out even more books. If you aren't already, sign up for August HERE. And here are my Amazon wishlists HERE and HERE.